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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — a path
  3. root — the cause
  4. march — the month
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. track — to keep track
  8. hand — in cards
  9. march — music
  10. root — of a plant
  11. staff — employees
  12. press — a publisher
  13. march — the month
  14. staff — employees
  15. squash — the sport
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. squash — to crush
  19. track — a song
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. staff — a stick
  24. root — of a word

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com